1.200 years ago much of this part of Denmark consisted of marshes, moor and forests with the odd village with surrounding fields dotted here and there, mostly near the coasts or streams.
There were very few roads indeed and basically only one main road. That road, called Hærvejen = the army route/road was established around this time and ran almost along the entire length of Jutland, all the way down south to the border. It was also a main traiding route and remained so up until fairly recently.
Now, the peculiar thing about Denmark and Danish history is that armies had to be sailed. With exception of Jutland, with the vulnerable southern border and the ancient Danish lands in what is now parts of Sweden. - But they were less threatned as the concept of Sweden as a nation still lay several hundred years into the future at that time.
So Jutland was really the only place where armies cwuld march, hence the establishment of Hærvejen.

Not far from the border, but not too close either (!) lay Dannevirke. It is very much debated how Dannevirke really looked like. It can in no way be compared physically with Hadrians Wall, although the purpose is similar. The strongest parts of the wall lay where the heaviest traffic was. I.e. near the east coast and across Hærvejen.
It is likely to imagine the wall here consisting of a ditch, probably not waterfilled, in front of an earth barrier up to several meters high, probably with a palisade of wooden stakes on top, with a timber watchtower at intervals. That part of the wall would have stretched for a number of kilometres. Gradually chainging into just a low earth barrier, strethching for some more kilometres. - And that was it.
It would have been economically impossible to build a barrier stretching all along the border and it would have been equally impossible to man such a barrier in any efficient way.
So most likely there would have been a small garrison near the gate, where Hærvejen passed through Dannevirke, doubling as custums officers and border guards, with a couple of mounted patrols to deal with the rest. Other small groups would have been spread all over the area at farms or perhaps even in a regular ring-castle, which hasn't been found yet. (*) They constituted the standing army there and would muster in force to deal with threats or raiders.

I'd better stop now. It's an extremely interesting subject and I could easily write entire articles about this diverse subject.

(*) At around this time regular castles, permanently garrisoned and constructed to a standard design were build all over the country. The most well known is probably Aggersborg (do a Google). But there are "blank" spaces on the map where there really ought to be such a castle but where none has been found - yet.

Trying to drum up attention regarding censorship (5-year anniversery of the Muhammed-Cartoon publication) and double standards, Danish "art-group" Surrend have published a poster depicting the DRF engaged in peverse sexual activities.

Trying to drum up attention regarding censorship (5-year anniversery of the Muhammed-Cartoon publication) and double standards, Danish "art-group" Surrend have published a poster depicting the DRF engaged in peverse sexual activities.

Pic 1: At Gråsten Manor. Prince Henrik cleary see himself as chief of the family.

Pic 2: Celebrating QMII's 70. birthday in the Royal Theatre.

Pic 3: Joachim and sons having a cool time, driving really fast at The INternational Racing Festival.

Pic 4: And in every respect a cool time in Switzerland.

Pic 5: Celebrating QMII's birthday at Copenhagen townhall. It's the Mayor Frank Jensen, who his greeting our Marie. Notice how Joachim, as the perfect gentleman he is, has chosen to dispense with the protocol and naturally allow his lady to go first. He might just as well, since as far as I'm aware people of dignity should be recieved at the bottom of the stairs, not at the top....

Pic 6: Mary doing her shoe drop at Arlington Cemetary.

Pic 7: It would appear that Joachim won - again.

Pic 8: The fair Marie, Joachim and the Regent Couple visiting the town of Tønder. Located only three kilometres or so from Schackenborg. Notice how Joachim, being the incomparable gentleman he is, has dispensed with protocol allowing his lady to step out at the sidewalk side of the car.

Pic 9: Bette Henrik enjoying the view.

Pic 10: Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix. It rained. It rained a lot!!

Pic 11: To royal wedding in Greece.

Pic 12: Riding through the narrow streets in Randers with escort. The mayor and wife hitched a ride as well.

Pic 13: The golf car incident at the Viking Castle of Trelleborg. The mayor wasn't good at riding such a thing and it almost fell over, twice! PET had to hold the car upright.

Pic 14: The official handover at Amalienborg. And two children being told to stand up.

Pic 15: Mary and Frederik entertaining some penquins in Germany.

Pic 16: Neat. Frederik supporting his wife, when visiting the Air Force Museum in the middle of nowhere.

Pic 17: The President of Mongolia dropped by for a visit.

Pic 18: About to be bored stiff for the next hour or so. The opening of the Parliament.

Pic 19: Gala concert for people of science at Frendensborg. Joachim was in Africa.

Pic 20: Commemorating the Battle in Køge Bay 1710. PH added some weight to the event.

Pic 21: Admiring the new chapel in Roskilde Cathedral. - Where they are eventually to get buried.

Pic 22: The Hubertus Hunt. Frederik appears to have counted too many jumping horses and Bella comforts herself with her thumb.

Pic 23: The game parade at Fredensborg, the most grand of the royal hunts.

Pic 24: Happy birthday, Daisy.

Pic 25: M&F at the 394 birthday or so, of the Guards Hussars Regiment.

According to this article in BT, the British royals have issued 40 invitations to foreign royals, and the article speculates as to whether Mary and Frederik are invited.

Apparantly the Norwegian royals haven't recieved an invitation, - at least not yet.

The article is a bit unclear. There are 1.900 guests invited to the church.
600 guests are invited to the reception after the wedding and of those 300 are invited to the actual party in the evening.

Okay, I understand the wedding has been toned down a bit, but only 40 royal guests invited? That's not many. That will only cover the actual monarchs/royal heads of states. - There will be few, if any heirs, invited as well, as far as I can assess.
Perhaps someone more in the know can elaborate?
These 40 royals, are they only invited for the ceremony in the church or will some also be expected to take part in the reception afterwards?

I mean, for a "wedding of the century" 40 royals ain't much and this will no doubt be seen as a snub, at least by the media in a number of countries.
I'm a little baffled, because a royal wedding of what is perhaps the next king is usually an occasion for cementing the relationships with foreign countries, not least monarchies. There were more than 40 non-British royals present at the Greek wedding last year.
So what is all this about? Has BT misunderstood something?

Okay, I understand the wedding has been toned down a bit, but only 40 royal guests invited? That's not many. That will only cover the actual monarchs/royal heads of states. - There will be few, if any heirs, invited as well, as far as I can assess.
Perhaps someone more in the know can elaborate?
These 40 royals, are they only invited for the ceremony in the church or will some also be expected to take part in the reception afterwards?

I mean, for a "wedding of the century" 40 royals ain't much and this will no doubt be seen as a snub, at least by the media in a number of countries.
I'm a little baffled, because a royal wedding of what is perhaps the next king is usually an occasion for cementing the relationships with foreign countries, not least monarchies. There were more than 40 non-British royals present at the Greek wedding last year.
So what is all this about? Has BT misunderstood something?

We have 1,000 friends & family (50 of which are BRF).
40 members of foreign royal families, 200 members of Government, Parliament and diplomatic corps have been invited. 60 Governer-Generals from Commonwealth Countries, 80 representatives from charities and 30 members from the forces.

This does miss out a few people, so the numbers maybe a bit off. I doubt any foreign royals except the Greeks will be invited to the Private dinner on the evening of the 29th. However most foreign royals will be invited to the wedding breakfast hosted by the Queen at BP.

The Greek royals are close with most royals in Europe, William hasn't met any more than once perhaps. When it comes down to it, we'll have to wait and see on the day.

We have 1,000 friends & family (50 of which are BRF).
40 members of foreign royal families, 200 members of Government, Parliament and diplomatic corps have been invited. 60 Governer-Generals from Commonwealth Countries, 80 representatives from charities and 30 members from the forces.

This does miss out a few people, so the numbers maybe a bit off. I doubt any foreign royals except the Greeks will be invited to the Private dinner on the evening of the 29th. However most foreign royals will be invited to the wedding breakfast hosted by the Queen at BP.

The Greek royals are close with most royals in Europe, William hasn't met any more than once perhaps. When it comes down to it, we'll have to wait and see on the day.

Yeah, I guess we will.

It just seems a bit odd in my eyes. 40 foreign royals, they'll drown in the sea of guests. This makes this a British wedding more than a royal event.

Let me try to explain. When I talk with others who are interested in royalty, the impression I get is from then that the BRF are seen as standing away from the rest of the Continental royals - and that's a pity in my eyes.
For about a decade Diana was the star of royalty, partly because she was the only one of her generation, the Continental royal counterparts were either mostly older or younger than her. When she died it is my impression that the Continental interest in the BRF fell dramatically. Charles and Camilla has been reduced to just another CP couple, who are pretty old on top of that, and it's also my impression that the interest in William and Kate isn't that big either.

This wedding has been reduced to "just another royal wedding" by only inviting 40 royals in my opinion and it is in a very real risk of being overshadowed and forgotten in comparison with the Swedish wedding. - Outside of UK of course.

It's like the BRF constitute a little closed club who have chosen to ignore their royal colleagues outside of UK.
Which royals will William and Kate associate with outside of UK, if they don't build up a network? I've seen in plenty of interviews how Continental royals discuss issues among themselves and ask for advise, which is a sound thing to do, considering their unique position.

Well, it's their wedding. But I don't have to be a prophet to predict that what I wrote above will come up during the coverage of the British wedding.

Apparantly the Norwegian royals haven't recieved an invitation, - at least not yet.

IMO the Norwegian court is keeping their cards close to the chest! My best bet is that the Norwegians have been invited; the NRF and the BRFare usually close! There was a big BRF turn out for King Harald's 70th birthday bash, and the CPly couple attended the PoW/Parkes Bowles wedding in 2005!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muhler

The article is a bit unclear. There are 1.900 guests invited to the church. So what is all this about? Has BT misunderstood something?

BT misundersttod something? I wouldn't be surprised!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muhler

I mean, for a "wedding of the century" 40 royals ain't much and this will no doubt be seen as a snub, at least by the media in a number of countries.

There was a big European RF attendance at the 1981-wedding; but then again it was about the wedding of the heir apparent. What would protocol call for in this case? The presence of a monarch? I doubt it! The attendance of an heir apparent? I won't bet on it! Somehow I doubt that all continental RFs will be invited! Apart from the Norwegians the BRF is not spending much time on their colleagues on the Continent!
Come to think of it: Someone please tell me why the Middle-East invitations are leaked (if they were?)- and not the continental?